Dawn
by RogueMetamorph
Summary: This is a story of how Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts' resident bully, Slytherin Prince, the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, met a girl with chocolate brown eyes, that was just as sharp as he was and inevitably changed his life forever... OC/Draco.
1. Year 1

**Dawn**

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><p><strong><span>Disclaimer:<span>**** I don't own _Harry Potter _(the movie, books, characters, dialogue or etc.). I also don't own any other book, movie, song or character I may have mentioned along the way. I just so happened to use it for non-profitable fun in my spare time.**

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><p><span><strong>Year 1<strong>

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><p>Draco walked next to his friends up the steps and into the castle he had heard so much about until the ground of eleven-year-olds stopped in front of an elegant looking woman with a pointed hat.<p>

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Draco smiled. "Now while you're here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will loose points. At the end of the year, the houses with the most points is awarded the house cup,"

"Trevor!" a fat little boy exclaimed at he pushed through the crowd to pick up a stray frog. The professor stared down at him with one delicate eyebrow raised, forcing the boy back in line.

"Dumb mush-head," Goyle smiled next to Draco.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily," the professor finished, before turning and going back into the hall, leaving them.

"So it's true then," Draco said, breaking the silence, everyone's attention moving to him as he got up from lazily leaning against the stone railing of the stairs. He slowly pushed himself off of it and smiled at the dark haired boy with the stupid round glasses. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts,"

Whispers erupted around them. "Harry Potter?"

Draco continued, staring right at the famous Harry Potter. "This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy…" Draco stepped forward, standing a step up and in front of Harry, trying to be more intimidating than the famous kid. "Draco Malfoy," A poorly hidden laugh sounded beside Potter and Draco looked up to see a red head that he knew straight off. "Think my name's funny do you?" Draco challenged. "No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley," They both glared at each other before Draco turned his gaze back to the Potter kid. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there,"

Draco put out his hand for a handshake, wanting to get Potter on his side, and have even more intimidating power than before, but after Potter debated for a moment, he replied; "I think I can tell the wrong sort for my self thanks,"

Draco's expression changed as he glared at Potter before the tapping of heals and a tap on the shoulder made Draco look up to see as Professor McGonagall. Unwillingly, Draco moved back causing to where he had been, giving Potter one more dirty look before crossing his arms and glaring at the Professor.

"We're ready for you. Follow me,"

The group followed her into the Great Hall, taking in the splendor of the wondrous room. The first years were brought to a stop at the front of the hall.

"Will you wait along here please," Professor McGonagall murmured before addressing the rest of the room. "Now before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words,"

"I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note, that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to all who do not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you,"

The group whispered to each other, slightly wide eyed at the announcement, but Draco just rolled his eyes. They were just trying to scare them all into obedience, he wasn't falling for that.

"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall began, getting everyone's attention. "you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses," She picked up a scroll, and then the sorting hat before looking down at the scroll and reading off the name. "Hermione Granger!"

Draco rolled his eyes again as he watched the fizzy haired troll, who was muttering to herself, she walked up to the front and sat down on the stool.

"U-G-Y," Crabbe murmured.

The sorting hat suddenly gained a face and began to mutter to itself while atop the troll's head. "… Right. Okay, Gryffindor!" All of the students at the Gryffindor table began to cheer, standing up and clapping as the troll hopped off the stool and moved to her new home.

Draco was happy, at least he didn't have to live with her when he was placed in Slytherin. Only the sad saps belonged in the other houses. Slytherin was were the strong and clever go, and that was good enough for him.

"Draco Malfoy!"

Draco walked up to the stool with a smile which he turned to Potter as he sat on the stool. Before the sorting hat was even set on Draco's head the sorting hat called out; "Slytherin!" All of the students at the Slytherin table stood up and cheered as they greeted their newest member. Draco marched over with pride, sitting down next to the rest of the house. Now all he had to do was survive the rest of the boring sorting.

"Susan Bones!"

"… I know! Hufflepuff!"

"Ronald Weasley!"

"Ha! Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you... Gryffindor!"

"Harry Potter!"

Draco looked up with little interest, but still watched as an uneasy silence crept over the room as everyone waited for Potter to walk up to the front of the room to be sorted. As soon as the hat was placed on Harry's head it began to mutter to itself for a long minute.

"… Better be… Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table cheered loudly again as Potter smiled widely, running over to the rest of the stupid house where they all welcomed them. Draco rolled his eyes yet again and turned back to his own group, not paying much attention to the rest of the world.

"Seamus Finnigan!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Ted Leon!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Hannah Abbott!"

"Hufflepuff!''

"Ambrosia Leon!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Pansy Parkinson!"

"Slytherin!"

"Neville Longbottom!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Ernie Macmillan,"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Vincent Crabbe!"

"Slytherin!"

"Lavender Brown!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Padma Patil!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Pavarti Patil!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Justin Finch-Fletchley!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Gregory Goyle!"

"Slytherin!"

"Dean Thomas!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Lucy Dawn!"

"Hmm… I think you will be… Slytherin!"

Draco looked up at that. He had never met a Lucy Dawn in his life, and he was curious to see this girl that had been deemed good enough to be apart of the Slytherin house.

Draco looked up at see a small girl walking up to the table with short yellow hair that looked like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be curly or not. He could see that she looked like she wanted to hit something by the way her fists were tight and her lips were pursed into a frown. When she looked up at him he was sure that she was angry, because she used those ugly brown eyes to glare at him- at him! He glared right back and turned back to Crabbe and Goyle and ignored her.

After the sorting was over, Professor McGonagall tapped her spoon against her glass and said, "Your attention please,"

The old coot stood and waved his arms. "Let the feast… begin!"

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><p>The rest of the year was filled with Draco teasing Dawn and messing with her beyond all measure. Not to mention he ended up finding out that Dawn was a half-blood. That definitely didn't help her case.<p>

So Dawn stayed in her own little corner and kept to herself… except when she was in classes. There she blossomed and had made friends despite the fact that she was a Slytherin. After initial contact, most of the kids from different houses hadn't noticed. Ravenclaws liked her because of her intellect. Hufflepuffs liked her because she was kind to them and helped them out when she could. Gryffindors were forced to like her because she acted just like them, despite her occasional Slytherin streak that she had. It almost made Draco sick.

Did you really think that she was a Gryffindor that had magically been misplaced? No, not at all. Dawn was a clever Slytherin, and she used everything she had for her gain. Dawn used her friendship with the Ravenclaws for answers they didn't know they were giving her. She used her friendship with the Hufflepuffs, to gain her friendship with the Gryffindors. And she used her friendship with the Gryffindors to get back at the Slytherins.

Yes, Dawn was good, even Draco couldn't help but admit it to himself.


	2. Year 2

**Year 2**

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><p>The next year was an interesting one for Draco, to be truthful. That was the year that the Chamber of secrets had been opened and a bunch of the Mudbloods had been petrified on the schools watch. Even Granger had been petrified.<p>

That was also the year he became Seeker for the Slytherin team, his father having bought the team all new brooms so that it was ensured that at the very least, Draco would end up getting a good spot on the team. His first day had been the best of them all too… for the most part.

"You've got a new Seeker. Who?"

The Slytherin players moved out of the way as Draco stepped out, smirking at Potter happily.

"Malfoy?"

"That's right, Potter. And that's not all that's new this year," Draco smiled, showing off his new broom which matched the rest of the teams.

"Those are Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones!" Weasel-Bee exclaimed, looking down at the brooms. "How did you get those?"

"A gift from Draco's father," the Slytherin captain smiled.

"You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best," Draco sneered happily as they all glared at him.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Draco looked over in surprise to see that Dawn had joined their ranks, and was glaring at him, arms crossed. "We all know your daddy buying you a spot on the team was the only way you were going to make it on,"

"At least I'm not a little traitor," Draco hissed. "You just going around pretending to be peoples friends when we all know what you really are. A Slytherin to the core,"

She winced, and he smiled, knowing he'd won.

"Shut up, Malfoy, your just a big bully," Granger exclaimed, linking her arm with Dawn's.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood!"

Everyone- except the Slytherin's of course- gasped, and then looked over at Granger as Draco saw tears start to form in her eyes. He'd won this one too.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy," Weasel-Bee exclaimed, poiting his wand at him. "Eat slugs!" As he said it, Draco jumped back in fright, but looked up after a second to see that the spell had rebounded on the blood-traitor, sending him flying backwards and to the ground.

"Ron!" Granger squeaked, running toward him as he slowly tried to get up, making Draco and the rest laugh. "You okay, Ron? … Say something!"

Everyone watched as Weasel-Bee grew pale and sickly looking before he made as if he was going to hurl, but as he did, instead of puke, a slug dropped out of his mouth. Everyone looked away in disgust, but the Slytherins all laughed in amusement.

"Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry?" Colin Creevy asked as his camera flashed.

"No, Colin! Get out of the way!" Potter exclaimed, lifting Weasel-Bee up, as another slug fell from his mouth. "Let's take him to Hagrid's," Out came another slug. "He'll know what to do,"

Draco couldn't stop howling with laughter as he watched Potter and Granger running by him, dragging Weasel-Bee between him as he hurled up more slugs. He hadn't even had to do anything to have this one end up badly for the Terrible Trio. However, Draco's laughter was cut short even Dawn walked past, slamming her fat foot down on his, making him yelp and jump about in pain as she walked away with a smile on her face.

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><p>That was the year that he had his first Quidditch game… which he had lost, but no one had cared that he'd been in such horrible pain after the game. No one believed him, those stupid idiots.<p>

Draco ended up being repaid for such horrible treatment not much later, when everyone had been gathered inside the Great Hall standing on either side of a long, padded stage that sat in the center of the room. They had been gathered there so they could learn dueling, for the obvious reasons of students being petrified.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round!" the Neanderthal yelled as he strutted down the length of the stage. "Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?" he asked with that stupid grin on his face. "Excellent!"

His bright smile could have easily blinded anyone who looked straight it, so Draco looked away and crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his grey-blue eyes in disgust. Draco and most every Slytherin- even Dawn- were rolling their eyes at the pompous nut job, feeling as if they would puke from the overwhelming confidence welling from the bloke.

"In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions- for full details, see my published works," Dawn and Draco rolled my eyes.

With that he undid the tie on his cloak and threw it into the crowd of screaming Gryffindor girls.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,"

Everyone looked down the stage to watch Snape climb the steps and begin to approach Lockheart, his face blank of emotion. Draco smiled devilishly, for he could not wait to watch Snape blow that pompous fool across the room.

"He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry- you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear,"

The question was if they would still have their DADA professor when this was done. Personally, Draco would not have minded if they didn't.

The two Professor's walked toward each other and stopped before putting their wands in front of their faces and bowing to each other. They took their wands away from their face and put their arm at their side before turning and walking to their own ends of the stage. They turned to face each other, sporting different poses as they watched each other carefully.

"One, two, three-"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

White light burst from Snape's wand and hit Lockheart, throwing him backwards before he crashed down onto the stage. Slytherin's had to force themselves not to laugh and cheer in delight, but, to their disappointment, Lockheart stood and busted himself off before walking back up to Snape.

"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy,"

Dawn and Draco rolled their eyes.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor," Snape suggested plainly.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape!" Lockheart smiled before turning to look down at the students. "Ah… Let's have a volunteer pair! Um, Potter, Weasley, how about you?"

"Of course he'd choose them," Draco murmured to the Slytherins around him.

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox," Snape commented. "Might I suggest someone from my own house?"

Draco smiled and Dawn couldn't help but feel the interest tug on her mind.

"Malfoy, perhaps?"

Draco and Potter both stepped up onto the stage and faced each other, holding their wands in front of each other before turning away from each other without bowing.

"Scared, Potter?" Draco bit out.

"You wish," Potter bit back.

They then both turned back around and walked up the length of the stage before they spun around to face each other, both sporting the same poses that the professors had done.

"On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent- only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here," Neanderthal told them. "One, two-"

"_Everte Statium!_" Draco yelled before Neanderthal ever got to three, which blew Potter backwards, slamming him into the stage. Draco smiled at his victory as Potter stood and aimed at Draco.

"_Rictusempra!_" Potter yelled, sending a purple-y light at Draco which hit him into the stomach. Malfoy immediately fell to his knees laughing loudly and gasping for breath.

"I said disarm only!" Lockheart yelled as Draco lifted his wand and pointed it at Potter.

"_Tarantallegra!_" Draco gasped out sending a yell light at Potter's legs which sent his legs twitching, making Potter look vaguely like he was dancing.

"_Finite Incantatem!_" Snape's voice ran out and immediately, Draco stopped gasping and Potter stopped twitching.

Draco could vaguely hear a familiar laugh to his left which he knew belonged to Dawn. She was laughing at him, and Draco did not like to be laughed at. "_Serpensortia!_"

A snake sprang from the end of Draco's wand and landed with a thud on the stage before slithering toward Potter, hissing as it went.

"Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you," Snape sighed, walking across the stage.

"Allow me, Professor Snape. _Alarte Ascendare!_"

The snake flew into the air, hissing before it slammed down into the stage again, looking thoroughly ticked off. Everyone watched as Potter walked toward the snake and began to speak in a way that none of them had heard before, but nearly all knew what it was. The sound issuing from Potter's mouth sent a small chill down everyone's spines and the snake turned and eyed a boy, hissing at him, showing his fangs.

"_Vipera Evenesca!_" Snape said, and the snake immediately began to burn, starting in the middle and looking more like a lit wick to a bomb than a vanishing snake. Once it was gone, and Potter stopped speaking Parseltongue.

"What are you playing at?" the boy the snake had been eyeing bit out as he glared up at Potter, who was looking as if he had just come to.

"That will be all for today children- um… go back to your dormitories… or whatever," Neanderthal stuttered out.

Potter immediately turned around and ran off the stage, everyone near him parting like the red sea as he ran by.

"Parselmouth? Maybe he should have been Slytherin," Dawn murmured in the silence before she was eyed by Snape, who shut her up faster than anyone else could.

The rest of the year was just more petrified people and everyone running around as if they were chickens with their heads cut off. It was quite boring, except for the aggravating experience of everyone believing that Potter- yes, Potter!- was the heir of Slytherin. He would know Potter was coming from a mile away when he could hear Dawn or the Weasel-Bee twins yelling; "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin!" "Seriously evil wizard coming through!" "Make way or you might get hissed at!"


	3. Year 3

**Year 3**

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><p>The next year was boring. The beginning was consisted of Potter fainting every five seconds, Sirius Black wanting to kill Potter, Dementors, and Draco nearly getting killed by a bloody bird-horse.<p>

They were at the Oaf's hut for a class when it had told them that he had something to show them. "Right, you lot. Less chattering. Form a group over there and turn your books to page forty-nine," Hagrid announced to us.

Draco looked down at his book and found it glaring up at him before he bit out in annoyance; "Exactly how do we do that?"

"You stroke the spine, nimrod," Dawn said coming up behind him before she continued through the crowd. Draco eyed her before he looked down at the book and started the stroking the book until he realized that his book had calmed down so much that it had fallen asleep. Draco looked up to glare at her. Dawn her for being right.

Where everyone had convened, Granger slammed her book down against a boulder before she turned to Dawn saying randomly; "I think they're funny,"

"Yes, terribly funny. Very witty," Draco said sarcastically from behind them, making them all turn to glare at him. "God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes,"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Potter threatened, walking past Granger to stand right in front of him.

Draco and the other Slytherins looked at each other before Draco sauntered forward with a devilish smile. Suddenly his eyes widened and backed up with a scared look on his face before he cried; "Dementor! Dementor!"

Everyone, including Dawn, spun to see nothing behind them as the Slytherin's laughed and pulled up their hoods to look like Dementor, moaning like ghosts. Granger stepped forward and grabbed Potter's shoulder and glared at the Slytherin's.

"And now what? You're going to yell 'Made you look!'?" Dawn bit out, making sounding like a two year old.

"You're just mad cause I scared you and your friends," Draco smiled as he made air quotes around the word friends.

"No, I'm just surprised that you continue to act like a five year old… although, you do scream like one… if you were a girl that is," Dawn smiled, crossing her arms over he chest as everyone went 'oooooooooh'.

Draco glared as he and stepped forward, pushing the hood off of his head until he was right in her face. "At least I'm not some sort of blood-traitor, hanging out with sad saps and Mudbloods,"

"Wow… I- I think that might have hurt," Dawn said sarcastically, putting her hand over her heart and using Pavarti's arm as if she needed to hold herself up. But then she straightened and looked him dead in the eye. "Oh wait, that didn't hurt, it was just such a stupid comeback that it made me nauseous,"

"Ooooooh,"

"Oh, that hurt," Draco said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, Malfoy. So witty," Dawn smiled. "I'm sure you got your intelligence handed down from your mother. All five brain cells,"

"You little-!"

"Hey! What's going on over here?" Both Draco and Dawn looked up to see the Oaf coming into view, eyeing them carefully. Draco pulled in his temper and crossed his arms.

"Nothing, Professor Hagrid. Just learning," Dawn smiled, stepping away from Draco and moving over to stand next to Seamus and Dean who gave her a discreet high five.

That was when the strange bird thing emerged from the trees behind him, it's torso, hind legs, and tail like a horse, while the front legs, wings and head of a giant eagle. Everyone took a step back.

"Isn't he beau'iful? Say hello to Buckbeak!" the Oaf announced as he coaxed the creature into the center of the paddock with a dead ferret.

"Hagrid. Exactly what is that?" Weasel-Bee asked.

"That, Ron, is a hippogriff. Firs' thing yeh gotta know about hippogriffs, is that they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended. You do not want to insult a hippogriff are. It may be the las' thing yeh ever do. Now, who wants ter come an' say hello?" the Oaf asked as he turned to check on Buckbeak.

Everyone took a step back, except for the dark haired boy standing at the front of the group.

"Well done, Harry. Well done," Potter's eyes widened as he turned back to look at the group. Potter glared at them before turning back to the Oaf before Weasle-Bee stepped up and gently pushed him forward until he walked on his own. "Now, yeh have to let him make the first move. It's only poli'e. So, step up. Give him a nice bow. Then you wait and see if he bows back. If he does, you can go and touch him. If not… well we'll get to that later,"

Draco rolled his eyes at the Oaf, but watched Potter as he inched forward and then bowed low. The bird looked down at Potter before flapping his wings angrily and squawking at him.

"Back off, Harry! Back off!" Potter started to back off but broke a twig on his way backwards, and then stopped.

Draco just chuckled at the bird, the idiot, and the Oaf, wondering where they all got their brains, Dumbies and Dolts. Draco wasn't even paying attention anymore, it was just so stupid, the bird was just a bird, why were they trying to make friends with the thing? Not to mention that Draco already knew how to fly a broom, and sooner or later he'd learn to Apparate, so what was the big deal with learning about a stupid bird?

"Well done!" the Oaf yelled, beginning to clap, which surprised Draco into looking up to see Potter petting the bird's beak. Everyone even started clapping, making Draco roll his eyes in disgust. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride 'im now," Draco heard the Oaf say as he lifted up Potter up.

Draco could have died from laughter.

"Whoa! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hagrid!" Potter yelled as he plopped onto the bird's back.

"Don' pull out any of his feathers. He won' thank yeh for that," With that, the Oaf smacked the bird on the butt and sent him rearing before he took off into the air, Potter shouting on his back.

About ten minutes of boredom later, Potter and the bird came back into view, landing in the paddock at a run until the bird could slow. Everyone was clapping happily at Potter and it made Draco want to puke. Anyone could walk up to a dumb bird and ride the thing. So Draco shoved through the crowd before he broke through and started strutting up toward the dumb bird, not even bothering to give an arrogant bow.

"Yeah, you're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute," Draco bit out.

"Malfoy! Dawn! No!"

In a flash, the Hippogriff reared back, swiping it's talons at Draco's arm, making him fall back in pain and surprise. From the ground, Draco could suddenly see someone in front of him, waving her arms before bowing low, the bird stopping it's squawking before it settled and bowed to her in turn. Draco stared in surprise to find that it was Dawn in front of him, the girl that had not a half hour ago, insulted him and his mother, the girl that hated him. She was trying to save his sorry butt from a rabid Hippogriff.

Once the Oaf finally appeared, ushering the Hippogriff away, Dawn turned and dropped down next to Draco. Draco immediately came back to his senses and started shouting in fake pain and grabbed his arm in more fake pain. He felt it when she grabbed his arm to keep it still so she could look at it.

"Oh shut up," Dawn growled at him. "_Episkey_,"

Draco could feel the pain settle as the wound no doubt healed but he continued to moan as if in pain just for the hell of it.

"Calm yerself! Yer fine… jus'-" he could hear the Oaf say as he came back from wherever the hell he had been off to before.

"Hagrid!" he suddenly hear Granger exclaim. "He's got to be taken to the hospital,"

"I'm the teacher. I'll do it," the Oaf murmured, before Draco could feel himself being picked up in chubby arms. "Class dismissed!"

"You're going to regret this! You and your bloody chicken!" Draco exclaimed.

Draco had been wrapped up and ushered out of the Hospital Wing in less than five minutes, and his father had heard about it in less time. His father had eaten it up, and had gone off to get the Oaf expelled from the school and the bird executed- at the very least. The next day he was sitting at the Slytherin table, Pansy fawning over him, continually asking if she could help him and how he was doing. Dawn however, was sitting a little farther down the table, her nose in a book, continually laughing and snickering and rolling her eyes, and Draco was really starting to get annoyed.

"Does it hurt terribly, Draco?" Pansy asked Draco quietly, reaching towards his bandaged arm, as if to touch it.

"It comes and goes," Draco shrugged, pulling his arm out of her reach, looking down at it. "Still… I consider myself lucky. According to Madam Pomfrey, another minute or two and… I could've lost the arm,"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Of course you could have," she murmured to herself.

"What was that?" Pansy asked, turning away from Draco, looking over her shoulder at the blonde girl.

Dawn looked up as if she was completely innocent. "Hmm?"

"You think I'm lying about my arm?" Draco challenged.

"Yes, Draco Malfoy, I do think you are lying," Dawn answered, closing her book and looking at him straight on. "I know for a fact that all you're doing is laying it on thick to get attention because- if the pain allows you to remember- I was there when Buckbeak cut your arm and I was the one that healed the little scratch. It was healed long before Madame Pomfrey even got a glimpse glanced at it," she told them all, but never looked away from Draco's grey-blue eyes.

"Well, for your information, my arm was more severly hurt than you previously thought," Draco threw back. "And this isn't all about me. My father is furious. The Oaf and Dumbledore haven't heard the end of this until either the Oaf is fired or the chicken is exterminated,"

"I'll get you my pretty, and you're little dog too!" Dawn hissed at him. "You're just a cruel person that will do anything for attention. You're such an idiot,"

"If I'm such an idiot, why did you run over to help me?" Draco threw back, a bit curious behind the hard exterior.

"Because I knew you'd do something completely stupid because you're such a thick nimrod," Dawn bit out before she smiled. "And I just so happen to be a peaceful person who just so happens to be filled with violent rage,"

With that, Dawn got up and left the Hall, leaving Draco completely confused.

The rest of the year, was just as boring, despite the scare he and his friends had had back as the Shrieking Shack when they had been attacked, when that Granger girl punched him in the nose, them capturing Sirius Black and when Sirius Black and the chicken escaped.

He bloody hated that school.


	4. Year 4

**Year 4**

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><p>The next year had at least some interesting things happen. The Triwizard Tournament came, but unfortunately, only kids seventeen and older could put their name into the stupid Goblet. But then- of course- Harry Potter was magically pulled from the Goblet. Of course though, everything has a bright side; Everyone hated Potter… well, except for Dawn. She couldn't get it out of her head that he wouldn't be like a Slytherin and put his name in the Goblet. She followed him around like a bloody puppy for so long Draco almost thought she'd end up being stuck in tow behind Potter. But it soon ended after the First Task when Potter unfortunately survived.<p>

After that, it came to Draco's attention that the Yule Ball was coming, some stupid event that came about hand-in-hand with the Triwizard Tournament. It was stupid really, having to dress up and dance around like idiots.

But of course, Draco found himself right in the center of it all. Pansy wouldn't stop dropping hints and the other Slytherin girls wouldn't stop looking after him hopefully.

One day, as he was leaving the Hall after lunch, he caught some of what the Terrible Trio were saying, Dawn standing behind them listening.

"Oooh, there's a tragedy," Granger was saying. "She really thinks a lot of herself, that one, doesn't she?"

"Hermione- Who are you going to the ball with?" Weasel-Bee asked her, making Draco roll her eyes at them in disgust.

"I'm not telling you. You'll just make fun of me," Granger said, turning away from him.

"You're joking, Weasley!" Draco laughed as he came up behind them. "You're not telling me someone's asked _that _to the ball? Not the frizzy-haired Mudblood?"

Dawn, Potter, and Weasel-Bee whipped around and glared at him, but Granger said loudly, waving to somebody over Draco's shoulder, "Hello Professor Moody!"

Draco went pale and jumped backward, looking wildly around for Mad-Eye, remembering his horrible experience of turning into a ferret not long ago, but found that Mad-Eye was still up at the staff table finishing his stew.

"Twitchy little ferret, aren't you?" Granger laughed.

"What about you… Dawn?" Goyle asked, having taken so long because he had been trying to think up a nickname for her, but of course he had failed. "Surely _you _haven't been asked? No one in their right mind would ask someone like you,"

Draco felt like slapping the idiot upside the head because he knew for a fact that nearly every boy occupying space in the school at the moment had asked her, from Slytherin to Gryffindor to Dumstrang to Beauxbaton. It had annoyed Draco to no end to have to listen to boy after boy ask her, and even more surprising… she had turned them all down!

"For your information," Dawn smiled, starting to look a little shy. "I _have _in fact been asked, and I said no,"

"Wait, why?" Weaselette asked from nearby.

"Because it was fun," Dawn smiled slyly.

"Hey, Lucy?" the group all looked up to see a dark haired boy that Draco knew to be a Ravenclaw smiling at her.

"Hya, Ted," Dawn smiled.

"I was wondering is you would like to go to the ball with me?" the boy asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ted. Someone faster than you and already asked me," Dawn told him.

Draco rolled his eyes at the girl. It was true, he had to admit it, she indeed had already been asked so it wasn't a lie.

Disappointed, the boy walked away.

Dawn looked up again and looked right at Draco. Draco felt something in his stomach tighten, and he wasn't so sure that it was fear. Draco looked away and kept walking until he was far away from Dawn and her chocolate brown eyes.

Unfortunately it didn't stay that was for long, it seemed as if he kept seeing Dawn everywhere, no matter what, and it was really starting to annoy him. He finally decided something, and he swore, it nearly caused him physical harm… he was going to ask her to the Yule Ball.

He had watched Dawn walk down to the Black Lake by herself with a book at her side. He followed her, thankful that Pansy wasn't hanging on his arm at the moment. He followed Dawn until he saw her sit down, her back up against a tree and her knees up so that she could sit her book against it. Draco walked up to her until he was standing in front of her, but she didn't look at him.

"I heard almost everyone has someone to go to the ball with. Only a few single girls are left," Draco said to break the silence, making Dawn look up at him with a delicate eyebrow arched.

"I thought that was obvious," Dawn murmured looking back down at her book before she continued. "So… you're going with Pansy?"

"Hell, no. I am not! Are you mad? There's a girl I would want to ask but I haven't. Yet," he explained grinning.

"So the great Draco Malfoy hasn't asked anyone yet?" Dawn smiled into her book. "Although, I do believe that I read in the _Daily Prophet _this morning that there were snowballs in Hell, so that makes sense,"

"Very funny, Dawn," Draco spat. "Well, I've been waiting for the right moment,"

"Or you could be scared that she will reject you," Dawn smiled, closing her book so she could give him her attention. "Otherwise you would have asked her by now. And what are you going to do when and if she has already someone else to go with?"

"I know that she hasn't!" Draco exclaimed.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know for a fact she doesn't,"

"And what if she says no?"

"I doubt she'll say no,"

"Oh, you think so?"

"I know so!"

"Prove it!" Dawn smiled in amusement.

"Dawn, will you go to the ball with me?" Draco practically yelled.

Dawn's eyes went wide in surprise as she stared at him. He could tell that was probably the last thing she had expected him to do, but he honestly didn't think it'd take her a whole minute to pull her bottom jaw back up and speak.

"Did you just ask me to the ball?" she asked.

"Yes,"

"Of your own free will?"

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to, now would you please answer the question," Draco exclaimed, impatient.

Dawn thought about it for a moment before she turned back to him, eyeing him before she said anything. "Yes… but on one condition,"

Draco eyed her. "What?"

"I'll go with you if you don't calling me Dawn through the whole thing," she smiled, making his heart do something he had never felt it do before.

"Fine," Draco nodded before turning and beginning to walk away, but then he stopped and turned toward her with a triumphant smile. "Hey, Dawn,"

"That includes right now," Dawn said immediately, looking up from her book which she had just opened back up.

"Fine… Lucy, guess what?" Draco smiled.

"What?" she asked, smiling.

"The girl I wanted to ask ended up saying yes. I was right," Draco smiled triumphantly.

"Lucky you," Dawn sighed, shaking her head.

* * *

><p>After that, the time it took to actually get to the Yule Ball flew by and Pansy kept glaring at him softly and glaring at Dawn more than usually, as if she were the most evil thing on the planet. Dawn of course ignored it and continued her business as usual, but didn't mess with Draco as much as usual, and Draco returned the favor.<p>

Draco ended up standing at the bottom of the stairs just outside the Great Hall, waiting with the Gryffindors and Champions. It was almost enough to make a Slytherin puke up rainbows. But then two people appeared at the top of the stairs, one he barely recognized, the other he was shocked that he knew right away.

One was a girl in a light blue dress and hair that was slicked down into curls that were pulled back carefully on her head. The other was who Draco was paying attention to though. He knew that she was Dawn, but she just looked so… different, so… good. Dawn's hair, instead of it's indecision to be either curly or straight, was wavy tonight and was have up and half down, showing the different layers of blond and light brown. Dawn was also where a Slytherin green dress that followed her body all the way to the floor. Draco stared until he smiled and looked over at Potter who was staring up at the two girls that had just started descending the stairs.

"See Potter! That's what a real woman looks like," Draco called to Potter before walking up to Dawn as she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, crossing her arms and eyeing him.

"Enjoying showing me off already?" Dawn smiled.

"Of course,"

The rest of the Ball had actually been quite enjoyable, especially dancing with Dawn and watching her turn down most of the boys that asked her to dance with them. She, despite his cold and snobby humor, managed to get him to smile and have fun with her, even though it was Dawn. Draco Malfoy had fun, and if he wasn't mistaken by the kiss on the cheek he had received at the end of the night, she had enjoyed herself as well.

* * *

><p>The rest of the year past by quickly enough, more tasks going, Potter refusing to die or at least sustain injury. Also, Draco found himself watching Dawn, only to catch her always spending a good amount of time with a boy, the Ravenclaw boy… Temp? Teck? Ted? It made Draco's blood boil, so he just ignored it, moving past the two of them as quick as he could unless he was bullying the Ravenclaw boy as best he could.<p>

It was the last task at the end of the year that got to everyone. Potter and the other champions went into the maze, Fleur and Krum came out having sustained a lot of damage, but it was when Potter and Diggory came back that they all realized how bad it had been. Diggory had died, Potter insisting that it was the Dark Lord, but no one believed him, only focused on the fact that Diggory was dead.

But Draco and his family knew better.


	5. Year 5

**Year 5**

* * *

><p>Draco's fifth year was probably the best of them all. That was the year Potter was practically hated by all and had nearly been thrown in Azkaban, it was also the year that Professor Umbridge came to Hogwarts and started fixing the sad excuse for a school, and definitely got Potter and friends to shut their traps for once.<p>

But Draco soon came to realize, that all wasn't as good as it seemed.

One day, Draco was walking through one of the deserted halls that barely anyone walked through, which was actually a very hard thing to come by, and he heard a strange noise. He stopped in his tracks and looked around until he saw a figure sitting in a window sill, looking out the window. He could practically recognize her right away by her Slytherin robes and unruly blond hair that had turned more of a light brown over the years. Draco could tell she was crying, by the sound she was making and how she would shake with each sob.

"Dawn?"

She spun around, her eyes wide before she spotted him, then she just gave him a tired look and turned back to the window. "Hello, Malfoy. What are you doing here?" she asked, visibly trying to fight her sobs.

"I was headed to the common room… why are you crying?"

"No reason. I'm surprised you aren't used to seeing people cry," Dawn bit out without looking at him.

"Why do you assumer that I'd be used to seeing people cry?" Draco asked, a little confused.

"Because you insult anyone every chance you get," Dawn practically laughed, turning her tear filled eyes to him. "You're a bully, you have a horrible attitude, you hate everyone not a Slytherin, and your pure-blood mania. It's unbearable and makes you a horrible person! Even to me! A Slytherin!"

"But that's who I am and no one has taught me different!" Draco exclaimed back at her. "I just do that because that's what my father has taught me is right and I don't know how to stop! And you. You just provoke something in me that just makes me snap. You're some sort of spitfire and I can't stop myself from firing an insult right back at you,"

Dawn just sat back and stared at him,

"Fine, I'll give you that," Dawn said with a sigh before she looked down at her hand, pulling her sleeve farther down, practically swallowing up her hand.

"So why isn't your boyfriend here to comfort you?" Draco asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the column closest to him.

"I broke up with him not to long ago," Dawn told him, giving him a strange look like she was surprised he even knew about the boy. "I decided I didn't like him as much as I thought I had and he decided dating a filthy Slytherin wasn't worth it," she murmured more darkly as she turned back to the window.

"So is that why you're crying?" Draco asked confusedly, taking small hesitant steps closer to her while she wasn't looking at him.

"No, I had detention with Umbitch today," Dawn said slowly, pulling at her sleeve again, wincing a little. Draco noticed but hadn't connected the dots just yet.

"So?" Draco asked, not really understanding what she was getting at.

"Never mind," Dawn said, shaking her head, moving to leave.

"Wait. Tell me!" Draco exclaimed, grabbing her wrist.

Dawn hissed in pain and jerked away from him, cradling her hand against her chest, her eyes glistening with new tears. Draco quickly grabbed her arm, carefully not to touch her hand until he was pulling her sleeve out of the war to reveal toilet paper wrapped around her hand, already red with the blood that had made it's way through the paper.

"Can you please let go?" Dawn hissed.

Draco quickly let go. "I thought she was having people do lines,"

"With special quills that transfer the lines into your hand," Dawn told him, pulling her back under her sleeve, and then cradling it again against her chest. "I would think you would revel in this type of cruel punishment. Practically every Gryffindor is getting it, and most Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs," Dawn told him, eyeing his reaction.

Draco had to admit, the idea of Gryffindors getting what they deserved wasn't such a bad thought… but Dawn didn't deserve these lines.

"No one should have to go through with that," Draco said quietly.

Dawn looked was surprised at his change in attitude. Maybe she had expected him to go off on a rant insulting her in every way possible. But instead Draco was trying to act… well, not like that.

"Why do you care?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know," Draco told her honestly before moving along.

* * *

><p>It soon came to pass that Umbridge was put in the post of High Inquisitor at Hogwarts and things really started to change. Umbridge made rules as so she could harass all the teachers about their qualifications. Other rules were that the students were not allowed to use magic <em>anywhere<em>, students had to wear their uniforms all the time and correctly, students weren't allowed anywhere near each other (it was mostly for couples), and the Weasel-Bee twins tricks and other products were banned from the school.

Draco loved it actually… that is except when Dawn kept coming into the common room cradling her hand against her chest.

Next was when the Gryffindor's, Potter and the other two now doubt, started up some sort of secret society. Umbridge then went on to enforce rule #82, which said all students had to submit to questioning. But even that didn't get Umbridge any leads as to where the group was meeting, so next Umbridge had to start an Inquisitorial Squad, which Draco joined willingly.

Draco, near Christmas break, was walking down that same corridor that he had last met Dawn in, and found her at the same window, holding her hand up against the stone, which no doubt felt good against her skin.

"I thought you would have learned not to get in trouble by now," Dawn's eyes snapped open, turning to Draco in surprise. "I suppose I should bring you to Umbridge since you're breaking curfew,"

"So she could give me more lines?" Dawn asked as she stood, pulling her sleeve down over her hand.

"Does it hurt?" Draco asked.

"Yes," she answered simply, watching him.

Draco just nodded and turned away from her. "I guess I better go now. Just try not to get caught by any other Inquisitorial Squad members. They won't let you get away with breaking curfew," With that, Draco walked away from her, not sure what sort of tricks his stomach was trying to do.

"Draco, wait," Draco could hear her call, but he just kept moving until he was safe inside his dormitory, lying on his bed.

* * *

><p>It took months, of long and hard work before the Inquisitorial Squad got a lead in the form of a Ravenclaw named Cho Chang confessed. She lead them straight to where the illegals were practicing. Unfortunately, that also lead Draco to learn that Dawn was one of them. After that, Dawn refused to talk to him, let alone insult him. If he was lucky he could force a glare out of her, but that was about it. Draco didn't know why it bothered him so much, but it was starting to eat at him.<p>

After that, Dumbledore disappeared, and Umbridge became the headmistress. About a week after that, the Oaf was fired and shipped off and McGonagall was sent to St. Mungo's after getting in the way of Aurors and being hit by multiple Stunner spells.

Not long after were dreadful O.W.L.s which only seemed to get worse when a loud explosion went off. Umbridge went to the back of the room, looking out the door only to have a firework wiz past her and go off over their heads.

Then all hell broke lose. The room was suddenly filled with dozens of fireworks were zooming about. Dragons soaring near the ceiling, pink Catherine wheels whirling everywhere, rockets with silver stars, and exploding firecrackers. It was pure mayhem. Draco could see the Weasel-Bee twins flying about on brooms sticks, throwing fireworks into the air as Filch and Umbridge stared in horror as the chaos ensued in front of them, and every time Filch or Umbridge tried to do something, they'd double in number or exploded.

Draco could see Dawn not to far off laughing happily, and Draco could swear that that was the happiest he had seen her all that year. Everyone who was in or near the Great Hall was laughing hysterically actually, except most of the Slytherins who were mostly being chased by various rockets. Draco had to duck and run several times to keep away from some very homicidal fireworks.

Draco then watched as one of the twins threw a fat, lit, explosive into the air where it exploded, turning into a giant animated dragon. It slunk around the Hall until it caught sight of Umbridge who took off running. Suddenly, the dragon finally caught up with her outside of the Hall, swallowing her before the dragon exploded, destroying all of the Educational Decrees and leaving Umbitch look all disheveled. The Weasel-Bee twins, cackling and hollering with laughter, sped past her and flew up into the skin, leaving a large 'W' behind as their signature. Everyone poured into the courtyard and started cheering and shouting happily for the twins. Draco just glared before he and the rest of the Slytherins made their way to their common room.

It wasn't much later that they were called upon to catch a bunch of low life Potter lapdogs. Draco and Pike ended up catching Longbottom and the Weasley-girl, and dragged them all the way up to Umbridge's office where the rest of lapdogs had been taken. Draco scanned the room to find Umbridge standing in front of Potter who was tied to a chair, while the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad had their wands to the gang's throats. But then Draco's eyes caught on a familiar head of light brown unruly hair, held by Pansy. Dawn. She was a part of the group! Draco ignored her and moved to the edge of the room, holding his wand up to make sure Longbottom wasn't going anywhere.

Draco watched as Umbitch then turned back to Potter and bent over so that they were eye to eye with each other.

"You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?" she asked sweetly.

"No," Potter said immediately.

"Liar!"

Draco was surprised to see Umbridge slap him across the face, but also found it slightly amusing.

"You sent for me Headmistress," Snape interrupted as he entered the room, looking confused by the situation that greeted him.

"Ah, yes," Umbridge said, turning towards Snape. "The time has come for answers, whether he wants to give them or not. Have you bought the Veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you have used up all my stores interrogating students, the last of it on Miss Chang," Snape said.

Draco smiled as he watched Potter's gang look to each other shamefully, knowing now that she had been given Veritaserum. Serves them right for trying to mean to someone and then keeping their conscience.

"Unless you wish to poison him," Snape continued. "And I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did, I cannot help you,"

Snape moved to leave, but Potter yelled to him in some sort of gibberish, stopping him in his tracks. "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

"Padfoot?" Umbridge asked frustrated. "What is Padfoot? And where what's hidden? What is he talking about Snape?"

Snape turned back around and looked Potter in the eye. Then he glanced up at Umbridge. "No idea," And he left.

Umbridge huffed angrily. "Very well," Umbridge began. "You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no alternative… the Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,"

Everyone shifted and glanced at each other nervously. Potter deserved to be put in his place but it was illegal to use an Unforgivable curse. Draco glanced over at the rest of the Slytherins and saw them looking about at each other, confused about what they should do, and then his eyes fell on Dawn. She was staring wide eyed at Umbridge before she started fighting against Pansy, only to get a sharp stab in the side of the neck with Pansy's wand.

"That's illegal," Granger exclaimed.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge told her, obviously trying to justice it to herself a she put the picture of the minister of her desk face down. "He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer," she continued with a bit of a mad smile on her face. "But he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same,"

Draco watched Umbitch raise her wand at Potter, about to say the curse before Granger interrupted. "Tell her, Harry!" she yelled, causing Umbridge to jump and then pull her wand back as she eyed her.

"Tell me what?" she asked.

"Well if you won't tell her where it is… I will,"

"Where what is?" Umbitch asked, looking excited.

"Dumbledore's secret weapon," Granger told her, looking pained for saying it.

Umbridge put down her wand and began to smile at Granger. "Cornelius will be most pleased," Umbridge nodded excitedly, her mad smile returning. "But if you trick me you will be punished for treason," she threatened. Granger nodded and the smile appeared yet again. "You will take me to this weapon,"

Granger nodded in agreement as Umbridge untied Potter, saying it would be best to bring him with them to make sure he didn't get away and so that he could see the demise of Dumbledore. The three of them then disappeared out the door, Umbridge's wand pointed at the two of them the whole way.

"I'm hungry," Weasel-Bee whined.

"Shut up," Goyle whined back, looking hungry himself.

"I just want some sweets," Weasley whined before his eyes landed on the boxes of Weasley product tucked away in a side room. "Can't we just have a few of those?" he asked.

"There's no tricking us," Pansy hissed. "We know those are trick sweets,"

"No, those are just the ones my brothers let Umbridge find, those are all real sweets while they kept the trick stuff," Weasley explained. "The stuff in those boxes are safe,"

Goyle wasted o tie in running over to those boxes and downing every treat he could get his hands on, and in no time, nearly the whole Inquisitorial Squad was snacking on the sweets, keeping them all to themselves as stood in the corner watching them.

Then it happened. Goyle's face started turning red as strange sounds issued from his stomach before he vomited all over Pansy and Blaise. That in turn made them puke, and that in turn made everyone else puke. Draco, who hadn't dared been dumb enough to try the sweets ended up puking at the disgusting sight smell and sight. When Draco was finally well enough to stand up straight, he found that Dawn and the rest of them were gone.

It was the next morning before Draco saw any of them again, and by then Umbridge had been fired as Headmistress and Dumbledore was reinstated. Draco barely saw Dawn after that, at least not until the last day, when he saw her on the train, in an empty compartment _Jane Eyre_.


	6. Year 6

**Year 6**

* * *

><p>Draco's sixth year was when things really changed. That was the year that he was made a Death-Eater and given his first mission by the Dark Lord. Kill Albus Dumbledore and get his fellow Death Eaters into the school. He was to find some way to kill Dumbledore by the end of the year and heal a vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement to sneak the Death Eaters in.<p>

Draco honestly didn't want to. He wanted things to go back to the way that they had been going for the last sixteen years of his life, easy and normal. But if he didn't do this, he knew that he would be killed and his already dishonored family would be held accountable.

Draco was on the train to Hogwarts, hating his life, sitting slouched in his seat when a black haze suddenly enveloped the whole car, sending Draco to his feet in a nervous fit.

"What was that? Blaise?" he asked.

"Don't know," he answered back, not helping at all.

"Relax, boys," Dawn laughed nearby, though Draco couldn't see her. "Stop being such little girls. It's probably just a first-year messing around,"

The impenetrable black fog finally lifted and he spotted Dawn sitting in the very back of the area that he, Blaise and Pansy had been sitting in. She looked a lot different from last year, her short brown hair now long and pulled up into a quick ponytail that left random wisps hanging about her face. Her face had changed as well, looking paler except the rosy bits along her cheeks. Her face looked thinner as well and she looked older than the fifteen year old he had seen last year glaring at him. Now she was smiling at him with the brightest smile he had ever seen, her chocolate eyes shinning at him.

"Come on, Draco. Sit down. We'll be at Hogwarts soon," Pansy's voice pulled Draco out of his stupor, binging him back to the horrid reality he now lived in. Draco shook himself, tearing his eyes from Dawn and went and sat back down in his seat, slouching and glaring down at his hands.

"Hogwarts. What a pathetic excuse for a school," Draco murmured. "I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I had to continue for another two years,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy asked, looking at him with concern he didn't want.

"Let's just say I don't think you'll see me wasting my time in Charms class next year," Draco told her, causing to Blaise to start chuckling. "Amused, Blaise? We'll see just who's laughing in the end,"

Draco heard something move above him and looked up to see his back moving on it's own, and he suddenly knew that Potter was spying on him. Of course the goody-two-shoes would be spying on him. Draco smiled darkly to himself and planned his revenge on the git before his eyes caught on a pair of brown ones.

He looked up at Dawn to find her looking at him with a strange look, as if she was trying to figure out a hard Potions question. But then she stuck her tongue out at him, smiling as she did it before she hid behind her book. Draco watched her to for a moment longer before he spotted the boy sitting next to her who suddenly wrapped an arm around her letter her lean against him before she looked up at him and started talking to him about something. Draco quickly looked away, utterly confused by this girl and feeling something deep in his gut that hadn't been there before.

When the train stopped he watched as Dawn got off with the older Slytherin boy, followed by the large amount of Slytherins until Blaise and Pansy were about to get off, only to look back at him, waiting for him to get off.

"You two go on. I want to check something," he told them.

Only when the whole car was empty did Draco get up, grabbing his bag off the rack and walking to the door, closing it and pulling down the shades, sending every single one of the them snapping down over the windows.

"Didn't Mummy ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop, Potter?" Draco said aloud before spinning around, wand aimed. "_Petrificus Totalus_,"

There was a loud thud as Potter's body dropped off the rack and slammed into a few tables before landing on the floor, invisible because of some sort of cloak no doubt. Draco smiled before pulling off the cloak to see Potter staring up at him.

"Oh, yeah. She was dead before you could wipe the drool off your chin," Draco smiled before he slammed his heel into Potter's face, a loud crack issuing from Potter's nose. "That's for my father. Enjoy your ride back to London," Draco hissed before throwing the cloak back over him and leaving, a smile on his face as he made his way to the carriages.

The feast was utterly boring, and Draco mostly kept to himself, no matter how hard Pansy tried to get him to talk. The only time Draco really came out of his shell was when he turned and watched Dawn farther down the table, eating quietly, unless she was talking and smiling as she looked up at the older Slytherin boy Draco thought was a boy named Samuel.

But at the end of the feast, Dumbledore interrupted his stupor.

"First off. Let me introduce the newest member of our staff: Horace Slughorn," he gestured back to the strangely dressed professor, who stood happily and waved, looking more drunk than anything. "Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to assume his old post as potions master. Meanwhile, the post of the Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape-"

Wild whispers danced around the room at the ghastly and shocking news rang throughout the hall. While all of the Slytherins just clapped happily at the news, though Draco didn't move.

"As you know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, and slept under its roof. He seemed to the entire world a student like any other. His name: Tom Riddle,"

More whispers filled the hall.

"Today of course he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact: every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls, but in the end their greatest weapon is you,"

Draco refused to look up and continued to stare off, feeling uncomfortable by that little speech that Draco could swear had been meant specifically for him.

"Now! Off to bed- pip pip!" Dumbledore clapped in a surprisingly cheerful manner and shooed everyone from the hall.

The days went by with classes about Draco just floated along, not really paying attention until one day when he was in a Potions class, when something caught his attention.

"-liquid luck," Granger finished.

"Yes, Miss Granger, liquid luck," Slughorn seemed pleased at her prior knowledge, but turned back to the class, holding up the small vial. "It's desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you'll find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the effects wear off,"

"But Professor," Dawn said, raising her hand. Draco looked at her with surprised evident on his face. He hadn't even noticed her in the room, though he might contribute it to his lack of attention and that fact that she was standing in the back of the room. "Some people say there is no such thing as luck so how can there be a potion to inspire it? Surely all it does to the drinker is help them make good decisions,"

"A valid point, Miss Dawn," Slughorn said, nodding his head. "I see you have the observational skills, skepticism and cleverness of a true Slytherin,"

Draco watched as Dawn blushed at that and shrunk down at the attention, making a rare smile pull on the corner of Draco's mouth.

"Good decision making does enter into luck, however, Felix Felicis merely causes situations to go more in the drinker's favor when it is used. Good decisions can be made anytime without the aid of this potion. This simply makes the drinker more likely to succeed than normally," he explained. "So, this is what I offer each of you today; One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable draft of Living Death. Recipes for which can be found on page ten of your books-"

The room immediately filled with the sound of flipping pages, including from Draco's book. Draco was all too eager to win that little vile, so that maybe he could get his mission for the Dark Lord done and over with without giving himself a heart attack.

"You should point out, however, only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"

Draco hurried over to an empty table where Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy all joined him. He quickly went to work, not talking to anyone, just working as quickly as possible and following the directions as closely as possible. But after the hour was up and Draco was finished with his potion, he only ended up glaring down at his cauldron of goop, hating that no matter what he had done, it had not turned out right. Then he heard a happy trill of deep laughter.

"Merlin's beard!" Slughorn exclaimed as he looked down into Potter's cauldron. "It's perfect. So perfect I daresay one drop would kill us all!"

Once Slughorn had finished walking around the room, clicking his tongue and shaking his head at everyone, he walked up to the front of the class. Practically the whole glass ran forward as he picked up the vial. Everyone waited silently as he looked over the small crowd.

"Harry? Would you come forward?"

There was a room wide huff of sadness as Potter stepped forward.

"Harry, for the first time in many years, managed to brew a quality draft of Living Death," Slughorn turned around and picked up the small vile that the whole room had been wishing for. "So here we are, then, as promised. One vial of Felix Felicis. Use it well," Slughorn proudly handed he small vial over to Potter, congratulating him.

Everyone around Draco clapped for Potter, though he could tell, just like himself, everyone was at least a bit peeved that the goody-two-shoes git had won what they had all wanted.

Weeks past until one night, Draco snuck out of the dungeons and made his way to the Room of Requirement, in search of the vanishing cabinet. Draco pushed through the door once it appeared, and found himself in a room full of massive piles of random things that had been left in here for who knows how long. Draco could even hear a scratched record player playing somewhere off, playing the same two seconds of scratched something over and over again.

Draco walked through the room until he found what he was looking for, the strangely shaped cabinet hidden beneath a large blanket. He flung it off, revealing the dark wood and the intricate carvings. Draco stared at it for a long time before getting to work on repairing it, only to leave a half hour later.

It wasn't even a weak later before it the trip to Hogsmeade rolled around and by then Draco had a half assed plan on offing Dumbledore. He took a necklace and cursed it before taking it with him to Hogsmeade and then waiting for someone to break off from the pack to Imperious into taking it to Dumbledore. That person ended up being Bell, a girl on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

On the way out, he spotted a couple in the corner of the Hogs Head, and immediately recognized that head of brown unruly hair which, at the moment, was falling down her back in a thick curtain. Draco's stomach flipped and tensed painfully as he saw her with who appeared to be her new boyfriend by the looks of how much they were snogging.

Draco immediately turned and stomped out of the Hogshead.

It was the next day that Draco learned that his plan hadn't worked since the idiot Bell had touched the necklace herself and had nearly died because of it. Now he was left with trying to figure out a knew plan and fixing the vanishing cabinet becoming his first priority yet again.

That night he walked to the Room of Requirement and started repairing the cabinet again, trying it out by sending an apple through. When it came back to him with a bite taken out of it, Draco smiled in triumph before turning to leave.

On his way back into the Slytherin common room he past a group that were dressed up for some sort of Slughorn club thing he had heard about from Blaise who had been invited. Draco passed various people, including a pair of twins he didn't know well before he spotted a familiar girl.

She was wearing a short black dress that made her look much younger than her body and face allowed with a green sash pulled around the center and some green shoes. Her brown hair was pulled into a long braid that fell over her shoulder, a green butterfly attached to the end.

Draco moved out of Dawn's way, bowing his head to her as she smiled at him before the door closed behind her.

"Pull yourself together," Draco snapped at himself before he went to bed.

* * *

><p>The first Quidditch game of the season was Slytherin against Gryffindor, but Draco called in sick and one of the second stringers filled in for him. He spent most of that time healing the vanishing cabinet and trying to cook up a new plan on killing Dumbledore, but after a while he just couldn't handle it. He skipped dinner and went up to the Astronomy Tower to try to clear his minds by looking out over the scenery and freezing himself in the cold.<p>

"You should come inside, Malfoy. It's cold,"

Draco spun around to see Dawn standing at the staircase watching him, her arms wrapped around herself.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, turning back around to lean against the railing again.

"You missed the game, so I thought you'd be deathly ill. I'm glad to see I was wrong," he could hear Dawn saying as she came closer to him.

"Why do you care?" Draco bit out irritably.

"Because," Dawn answered as if it answered everything for him. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright-"

"Don't joke, Dawn. I don't want your concern. I'm fine on my own," Draco snapped at her, regretting it as soon as it came out of his mouth but his pride wouldn't let him take it back.

Draco expected her to leave after him saying something like that, or at the very least her to fire something back at him… but she didn't. Instead he felt warmth near his arm and glanced over to see her mimicking him, but looking up at the stars instead.

"I never knew how gorgeous it was out here," she murmured before she smiled and pointed toward the sky. "Look, there's Draconis!" she laughed. "I looked it up once, when he had it as the password into the common room. It's a star obviously, also Draco was the name of some mean Greek bloke,"

Draco watched her for a long time, as she just looked up at the partially covered sky, looking content in the cold despite the fact she only had a coat on. Her long hair was loose around her shoulders but wasn't blocking his view of her, or hiding her face.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked finally, breaking the silence.

Dawn looked at him before her face got serious as she seemed to think over her answer. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay… and that you weren't going to pitch yourself off the Astronomy Tower," she said smiling at him.

Draco _did_ remember himself saying something like that on the train, though he hadn't thought she had heard him… especially when she was caught up with her boyfriend.

"Don't worry, I don't think I'll being doing that," Draco sighed, giving a sad fake smile before turning away from her.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his chin before he felt warm lips on his cheek that disappeared as soon as they appeared. With wide eyes he looked over to see Dawn walking back over to the stairs. Before she reached them however, she turned back and smiled at him and said; "If you need someone to talk to that acts less like a Slytherin and more like a… silent Hufflepuff… don't hesitate," With that, she walked down the spiral steps, almost skipping before he hear her call back; "And don't forget to eat something!"

Draco rolled his blue-grey eyes and turned back to the scene in front of him, trying not to smile, and failing miserably.

Despite Dawn's offer Draco didn't talk to her, but continued to keep to himself and work on his plans for his mission. One of the nights he planned on getting some work done on the vanishing cabinet, was the night of the stupid Slugclub Christmas party. Draco got into the Room of Requirement fine, but he ended up getting caught on the way out but the Squib.

He dragged him all the way to the party, hauling him into the center of the room for everyone to see despite Draco trying to convince him that he had been invited to the party.

"Professor Slughorn, sir," Mr. Filch began happily, stopping in front of a swaying Slughorn as the room turned silent. "I just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party,"

Draco glared at Filch before he began to speak. "Okay, okay-"

"I invited him,"

Everyone stopped and turned to see Dawn step forward smiling at Draco, before facing Slughorn. "I invited him as a favor for helping me with some Defense Against the Dark Arts stuff. After all, my date already had a invitation, might as well utilize the extra slot," she smiled before turning her smile on Draco.

"Well let the boy stay!" Professor Slughorn laughed a little too loud. "I agree, the more the merrier!" he announced, though he slurred his words.

The party slowly went back to normal as people turned away from Draco and Dawn and began to talk and the music began to play again. Dawn turned back and looked up at Draco as Filch let go of him and left the room.

"What are you doing here?" Dawn asked him, looking more curious than anything.

"I thought you invited me," Draco smiled as he grabbed her arm and pulled her off to the side of the room.

"I did," Dawn smiled up at him. "I just figured you'd tell me why you were so late… but if you don't want to," Dawn just shrugged and turned to look out at the room before her eyes caught on something. "I have to go fix something. Keep out of trouble, won't you?"

"I'll make sure of that," a smooth voice said, making both Draco and Dawn jump. Draco looked up to find that Snape had appeared beside them, looking down at Draco. "I'll escort him back to the dungeons, Miss Dawn," Snape told her before carting Draco off without another word.

Draco shrugged off Snape's hand and kept walking until the sounds of the party disappeared behind him and Snape began to speak.

"Was it you that cursed the necklace and cursed Miss Bell to give the necklace to Headmaster Dumbledore?" Snape asked.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl. Maybe I didn't," Draco bit out. "What's it to you?"

Before Draco could move, Snape had him pinned against a wall, glaring down at him. "I swore to protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow,"

"I don't need protection," Draco insisted as Snape slowly let him go. "I was chosen for this. Out of all others. Me. And I won't fail him,"

"You're afraid, Draco," Snape told him. "You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you,"

"No!" Draco exclaimed. "I was chosen. This is my moment!"

With that, Draco walked off, leaving Snape behind as Draco tried not to run all the way back to the common room.

* * *

><p>Christmas break went by in a flash and only brought Draco more stress, so much so that he was almost thankful to be going back to Hogwarts despite what he knew he had to do there. Once back he tried another plan on trying to kill Dumbledore by giving Slughorn a bottom of poison mead, which only ended up poisoning that stupid Weasel-Bee who somehow got his hands on it.<p>

After that failed attempt, Draco tried to work harder on the vanishing cabinet, even trying the birds he had found as live things to send through, but it didn't work the first time around, having killed it at some point on the journey to Borgin and Burke and back. Seeing it dead made something snap in Draco, and he wasn't sure why he started crying. Because he had just killed a bird? Because he would most definitely die himself if he didn't succeed in his mission? Because he was failing his family each day he didn't succeed in his mission?

Whatever the reason, he didn't move to leave for a very long time.

"Draco?"

Draco shot up, slamming the cabinet closed and wiping at his face, but didn't turn to look at her. Yes, he knew it was her, he and his stomach both knew that voice very well.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped at her, horrified that she had found him, not to mention in the state of which she had found him

"I wanted to know if you wanted to talk… And then I saw you go in here and I kind already know how it get in so…" Dawn trailed off before Draco could hear her footsteps echoing off the ground. "

"I already told you- I don't want your concern. I'm fine," Draco threw back as her, starting to walk away.

"Draco, I know something's going on. You've been sneaking around all year, you're moody and withdrawn-"

"Why do you care?" Draco bit out, turning around to face a very surprised Dawn.

"Because I can't help but be scared for you!" Dawn yelled at him. "God, Draco, why can't you just except that someone actually cares despite the fact that you're a bully and a bloody git and a stupid arse!"

"Maybe because you say things like that!" Draco yelled back.

"Maybe because it's true but it doesn't change the fact that I want to help you! Whatever is the matter you can tell me!" Dawn yelled at him. "Why can't you just tell me, you idiot!"

Draco just felt like he might explode if he didn't do something. That is when, in three long and meaningful strides, Draco closed the distance between them and kissed her. When their lips came together Draco could have sworn he felt the entire room spin and his body feels numb and more alive than ever at the same time. Draco could also feel Dawn freeze in shock once his lips connected with hers. Draco could feel her lips under his, they were slightly chapped and tasted like hot chocolate that she had no doubt had earlier. It made him think of her eyes.

It all ended to soon for him when he felt her roughly shoved him backwards, and he opened his eyes to see her eyes wide as she watched him in pure shock, a hand over her mouth as if he had shocked her.

Then everything crashed down on Draco again.

"So I'll never be good enough for you, will I?" Draco bit out, giving a humorless laugh as he watched her, still seemingly frozen. "And you don't even care, do you?" With that, Draco left the room leaving Dawn behind him.

"Draco! Wait!" But he just kept walking.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later Katie Bell returned, and that was the day things got bad. Draco had finally decided to get something to eat when he saw Potter talking to Bell. All was well until Bell looked up and saw him and froze as if she remembered what he had done to her. Draco backed up before turning around and leaving the Great Hall, feeling the fear and sadness squeezing his heart painfully like it wanted to kill him. Draco only made it to a bathroom before he broke down crying, holding onto the sink and ripping his shirt off as he tried to calm himself down. He just couldn't handle it, all this pressure, the guilt, all of the these emotions that were ripping at him and making him feel like he wanted to curl up and die somewhere.<p>

"I know it was you, Draco," he heard a voice tell him gently. Draco froze before he decided that that sweet voice was just his imagination, his conscience inside his head. Draco had gone mad, and he didn't mind much if his mind had made that voice his new companion. "You have to let me help you…"

"No one can help me," he sobbed, trying to convince himself. "I can't do it. I can't! It won't work unless I do it soon… he'll kill me,"

"Draco, I can help you. Whatever this is, you can tell me. We can stop this together. Let me help you," the voice pleaded with him.

"No! I have to do this!" Draco cried, his body shaking again.

"Please, Draco," Dawn told him. "You have to let me help you,"

Draco raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror only to realize that he wasn't alone, that Dawn was actually standing behind him. But he also realized that another person had just entered the bathroom.

Draco wheeled around, drawing his wand and pushing Dawn out of the way before he sent a spell flying at Potter, only to have him duck. Spells flew back and forth between Draco and Potter, as they dueled, ducking behind and running bathroom stalls as they tried to hit each other.

"Stop it!" Draco could hear Dawn yelling at the two of them. "Stop it before someone gets hurt! Stop!"

Draco ran around another set of stalls and prepared to shot a spell at Potter before he heard Potter yell one, it hitting him straight in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Draco flew back and hit the floor with a splash, blood spurting from his chest as though someone had slashed him repeatedly. Draco whimpering in both emotional and physical pain but didn't move to do anything for himself, feeling like if he did move, it would only make things worse.

Then he heard shuffling before he could see Dawn above him, looking horror stricken as he bled incessantly across the floor, his blood mixing with the water around them. Her brown eyes were watery, surrounded by red as she looked at him before she turned around, looking frantic as Draco began shaking uncontrollably.

"Harry! Harry, _do something_!" she pleaded, probably recognizing that Draco might very well bleed out. "_Harry_!" she shouted with urgency.

Suddenly, the door banged open behind Dawn and suddenly Professor Snape appeared on the other side of Draco, a livid expression on his pale face. He pulled out his wand and began tracing over the slashes with his wand and muttering something that Draco didn't really bother to listen to.

After a long moment, Draco felt the pain ease and he felt like he was floating on a cloud. Draco could hear voices but like before, he didn't bother to listen to them… well, except one very important one that felt like sweet cold water given to a dehydrated man.

Dawn.

* * *

><p>Draco stayed in the Hospital for a long time until one night when he knew it was time to finish his mission. Draco got up from his caught and made his way to the dormitory where he changed and got his wand before heading to the Room of Requirement. He went in with fear and sadness pulling at his chest, but it didn't change the determination he felt at finally letting the Death Eaters through and finishing his mission.<p>

He made his way through the tall piles of objects until he came to what he had been searching for. The vanishing cabinet. It stood as if waiting for him, and taunting him as if it knew that he didn't have the guts to open the door. But Draco grabbed onto the knob, knowing he would, because he had to and nothing was going to stop him.

"Draco- don't do this,"

Except maybe that voice.

"I have to," Draco said, bowing his head as both his voice and body shook, because at the moment he was genuinely frightened for his life. He had to do this, and right now, even with his hand on the knob of the cabinet, he couldn't bring himself to do it while she was standing there. "I have no choice,"

"Draco," he heard her plead, actually saying his name instead of saying his last name like she had been doing for years. How long had she been using his first name and he not even realizing it? "In life you always have a choice, even when sometimes you think there isn't because it's easier to think that you don't," she told him, her voice shaking. "You have a choice, Draco. You don't have to,"

"Yes I do!" he yelled into the door, feeling his resolve chipping away with each word she said to him.

"I know you don't want to do this Draco! So don't, just let me help you!"

"You don't understand!" Draco exclaimed turning around to look at her.

"Of course I don't because you won't tell me!" she yelled at him taking a step toward him, her chocolate brown eyes pleading with his blue-grey ones. "Please don't do this! Just let me help you for once instead of trying to be strong and doing this on your own!"

"He'll kill me," Draco admitted to her, tears coming to his eyes as he looked down at her, wanting so badly to help him, but he knew she couldn't. "He'll kill me and my family,"

"Then run away!" she exclaimed. "Far away! You don't have to do any of this for him if you don't want to! Just hide!"

"I can't, my father won't do it, he's to afraid to leave and my mother won't leave him. I have to do this," he told her, shaking his head.

She took those final steps toward him until she was barely a breath away from him. Her hands ghosted across his face until they settled in his shoulders and she looked up at him. "If you have to do this… then kiss me before I go, because I doubt I'll see you again after this," she whispered to him.

Draco looked down at her in shock before he granted her wish. It only took one small movement to close the distance between them. Just like the first time he kissed her, Draco could feel the entire room spin and his body felt more alive than ever. At first the kiss was gentle as if testing the water before jumping in, but Draco couldn't seem to help himself, moving his hand to the back of her head, trying to get a little closer. Draco couldn't get enough of her, her scent, her taste, the feel of her, and he couldn't help the way his arm wrapped around, tightening on her back. He couldn't help but revel in the way her soft body molded into his, and the way he was burning to feel her even closer.

He could feel her hand come up his arm and end up to his neck, fisting in his white blonde hair and his arm tightened around her almost convulsively. He could feel her grab hold of his tie right above his heart and pull as if trying to get him to come closer, but there was nowhere closer to go, there was no space left between them.

And then he heard a soft click of the cabinet.

Draco pulled back to see her hand on the knob, turning it. She knew as well as he did that he had to, and she was willing to finish the job for him.

Her eyes opened, revealing her chocolate brown eyes as a tear fell out of the corner and down her face. Draco let her go only to put his hands on either side of her face, kissing her forehead before he let her go completely.

"Don't do anything that you'd be ashamed to tell me while your gone," she whispered to him.

"Go," he whispered, not answering her. "I'll find you, Lucy, I promise,"

She just closed her eyes and nodded before the knob turned completely beneath her hand before she turned away from him. He watched as she walked away, her shoulders hunched as she disappeared around the corner, leaving him alone to his fate.

The vanishing cabinet oozed black smoke as Draco's aunt and their fellow Death Eaters prepared to enter the school. Draco waited in a stupor until they had all assembled before they made their way to the Astronomy Tower where Draco knew Dumbledore was. Draco left the Death Eaters behind to wreck havoc on what used to be his school as he walked up the many stairs until he reached the Astronomy Tower, where he found Dumbledore alone though he could have sworn he could hear him talking to someone.

"Good evening, Draco," Dumbledore greeted him kindly even though he was looking at Draco down the point of his wand. "What brings you here on this fine spring evening?"

"Who else is here? I heard you talking," Draco asked nervously.

"I often talk aloud to myself. I find it extraordinarily useful. Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco?" Dumbledore asked good naturedly before he realized Draco wasn't fooling around. "Draco, you are no assassin,"

"How do you know what I am?" Draco exclaimed. "I've done things that would shock you,"

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she'd bear a curse necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison?" Draco paused, nearly shock by how much the old man knew. "Forgive me, Draco. I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart can't really have been in them,"

It was true what he said, Draco realized, his heart hadn't really been in any of these. A clever five year old could have thought of better ways of killing the old man that would have trumped Draco's ideas. But Draco hadn't wanted to do any of it, as Lucy had pointed out, and he still didn't want to do it.

But he had to.

"He trusts me," Draco insisted. "I was chosen," Draco told him, lifting his sleeve that covered his Dark Mark, shocking the old man a bit.

"Then I shall make it easy for you," Dumbledore told him, pulling his wand out of his sleeve.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco cried at the sight of the wand, knocking it out of his headmaster's hand.

"Very good. Very good," Dumbledore nodded before he heard the doors to the tower open, both knowing that the Death Eaters were coming to see if he had done the job yet. "You're not alone. There are others," Dumbledore commented before stepping toward Draco, giving him a curious look. "How?"

"The vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement," Draco told him, proud that there was at least on thing the old coot didn't know. "I've been mending it,"

"Let me guess. It has a sister, a twin,"

"In Borgin and Burkes," Draco finished for him. "They form a passage,"

"Ingenious," Dumbledore nodded before his face grew sad as he watched him carefully. "Draco… years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you,"

"I don't want your help!" Draco yelled at him, his wand arm shaking as he watched the man. "Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you… or he's gonna kill me,"

That was when his aunt and the other Death Eaters arrived, Bellatrix leading the way. "Well, look what we have here," she smiled, walking over until she was standing behind Draco. "Well done, Draco," she whispered to him, kissing his shoulder, making Draco shiver in disgust.

"Good evening, Bellatrix," Dumbledore called, breaking the silence. "I think introductions are in order, don't you?"

"Love to, Albus, but I'm afraid we're all on a bit of a tight schedule," Bellatrix smiled before turning back to Draco expectantly. "Do it!"

"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his father," Draco looked over his arm and glared as well as he could at Greyback, considering he was a man-eating werewolf. "Let me finish him in my own way,"

"No!" Bellatrix shrieked. "The Dark Lord was clear, the boy is to do it," She then turned and watched him, waiting expectantly. "This is your moment. Do it!" But Draco couldn't bring himself to do it, he couldn't just kill someone, especially when the man was watching him. "Come on, Draco! NOW!"

"No,"

Draco practically stumbled back in relief at hearing Snape's voice, knowing that he'd finish the job for him. He had said he had to that night after the Christmas party. He'd made the Unbreakable Vow.

"Severus," Draco looked up as Dumbledore said it, looking as if he was pleading with him to kill him instead of Draco himself. "Please,"

"_Avada Kedavra_,"

The last Draco saw of Dumbledore was of him falling over the railing of the Astronomy tower.

The rest of the night went by in a haze as his aunt continued to wreck havoc on what used to be his school. She even went as far as setting the Oaf's hut on fire on their way out of Hogwarts. That was when Potter caught up to them. He was yelling at Snape throwing spells at them as he ran at them.

"Go," Snape told him, and Draco did.

Draco ran until they hit the edge of Hogwarts grounds where they disapparated away to Malfoy Manor. He was greeted by his mother and father, his father smiling in triumph while his mother pulled him to her soothing him as she took him inside.

"It's alright, Draco,"


	7. Year 7

**Year 7**

* * *

><p>What would have been his seventh and final year at Hogwarts was spent at home with his cracked father, his submissive mother, and his completely insane aunt who where all ordered to stay put. He knew despite the fact that their house was used as the Dark Lord's base, their family was a disgrace and they were practically on the lowest level of the Dark Lords list of followers. The only thing that kept them alive was Bellatrix, and that was barely enough.<p>

Months past and things only seemed to get worse, and the only thing that kept Draco's head above water was Lucy. He thought of her when she'd insult him or when she'd laugh and smile or when she scrunch her nose whenever she couldn't get a spell or potion right. But he didn't dare touch on where he thought she was now, if he did he'd run himself right into more stress than he already faced with his family and the Dark Lord.

One day, months and months after the day he left Lucy and Hogwarts, Draco was called into the drawing room by Bellatrix, and found himself being asked to identify whether a boy that had been brought it was Harry Potter or not.

"Draco! Draco, I have a job for you,"

Bellatrix led Draco to where all plump faced boy was kneeling on the ground, being watched by two Snatchers. Bellatrix immediately grabbed the hair on his head and forced him to face Draco.

"Well, Draco?" Bellatrix asked avidly. "Is it him? Is it Harry Potter?"

"I- I can't be sure," Draco said, keeping his distance from Greyback and avoiding looking directly at Harry.

"Look at him carefully- go closer!" Draco looked up at his father, who had never seen so excited, even though he looked more like a bum than his father at the moment. "Draco, if we're the ones to hand over Potter-"

"We won't forget who actually caught him, will we, Mr. Malfoy?" the head Snatcher said in a light way, but a menacing threat clung beneath his words.

"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house!" Draco's father yelled crankily, but his mother was suddenly there, calming him and pulling him away from Draco. Bellatrix was immediately there to replace him however, and grabbing his arm, pulling him down close to Potter.

"Now, Draco, if this isn't who we think it is and we call Him, he'll kill us all. We have to be absolutely sure," Bellatrix told him as Draco looked at Potter's face, knowing it was him but not wanting to say so.

"I don't know. I can't be sure… what's wrong with his face anyway?" Draco asked trying to get the attention off of him.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix asked, looking up at the Snatchers.

"He came to us like that. Something he picked up in the forest I reckon,"

"Or ran into a Stinging Jinx," Draco could hear Bellatrix smile. "Was it you, deary? Give me her wand, I'll check what the last spell was,"

Draco looked up as his mother tapped him on the shoulder, beckoning him away from Potter. He quickly stood with his mother, moving away from Potter and coming to stand closer to the wall and out of the way.

Then he heard Bellatrix gasp.

"What's that? Where did you get that?"

"The sword? It was in her bag when we searched her- reckon it's mine, now," the snatcher grinned happily.

There was a bang and a flash of red light as Bellatrix took out every last snatcher without hesitation. She was incredible; they were no match for her prodigious skills and lack of conscience. They fell where they stood as if they were nothing. They _were_ nothing, under her wandpoint.

"Go! Get out!" she yelled at those still alive, and boy did they take off.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Draco's mother asked.

"Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!" Bellatrix was panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining its hilt with desperate eyes. Then she turned to look at the others. "If it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed," she muttered. "The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself… but if he finds out… I must… I must know…"

To Draco's surprise, Bellatrix actually looked frightened, fire issuing from her wand tip and burnt a hole in the carpet. Whatever was going on was big, and it was scaring her to death.

Bellatrix turned back to his mother again. "Put the boys in the cellar- we'll start with the Mudblood," Bellatrix nodded, as if agreeing with herself that that was the best course of action.

"This is my house, Bella," his mother snapped. "You don't give orders in my-"

"Do it!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You have no idea of the danger we are in!"

Bellatrix then walked over to Granger and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her to the center of the room. Weasley and Potter yelled the whole way down to the cellar, Weasley even offering himself up to her, but Bellatrix wouldn't have it.

"If one of them dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book," she sneered. "Take the downstairs and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them- yet,"

From then on Draco couldn't bare to watch as Granger was tortured under his aunt's wand. Draco just stood numbly and tried not to listen to his aunts maniacal laughter or Grangers pain filled screams. He barely noticed it when the goblin from the cellar was brought up until he heard him talking.

"No. It's a fake,"

"Are you sure?" asked Bellatrix. "Quite sure?"

"Yes," the goblin said in monotone.

"Consider yourself lucky, goblin," Bellatrix casually flicked her wand, cutting a deep gash into the goblin's face. He dropped to his knees at her feet and she kicked him aside.

"The same won't be said for this one," Bellatrix smiled, leaning over Granger with a devilish smile on her face.

"_No!_" Draco looked up as Weasley and Potter burst into the room.

Bellatrix stood and spun around as her wand jumped out of her hand and into Potter's her eyes wide in surprise at what Weasley had down. Potter then quickly stunned Draco's father sending him grumbling to the floor. His mother and him then quickly ran forward, dueling the two before Bellatrix's voice broke through.

"STOP OR SHE DIES!" Draco looked back to see Bellatrix with an unconscious Granger in her arms, holding a knife to her throat. "Drop your wands," she yelled dangerously. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood really is!" Neither Weasley nor Potter made a move to drop their wands. "I said, drop them!" Bellatrix screeched, pressing the knife into Granger's throat making drops of blood trickle down it.

Their wands quickly hit the floor.

"Good," Bellatrix leered. "Draco, pick them up!"

Draco did as he was told before walking over to stand against the wall with his mother again, watching the scene carefully.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," Bellatrix smiled, stepping forward carefully, Granger still her arms, nearly taunting them. "It's Harry Potter. He's all bright and shiny and new again, just in time for the Dark Lord," Bellatrix smiled. "Call him. Go on, call him,"

Draco shifted nervously, not wanting to do it, and then shrinking a little when he saw his father walk past him, eyeing him dangerously before raising his own sleeve to reveal his own dark mark, slowly and melodramatically pointing his wand to the tattoo.

But then suddenly, a peculiar grinding noise from above came to all of their attention, even stopping Draco's father from touching his Dark Mark. Draco looked up in time to see Dobby, their old house-elf, sitting at the top of the chandelier, turning the top of it until it trembled and, with one final creak, fell. Bellatrix shrieked and dropped Granger, letting her fall forward as she scampered back. The glass shards flew in all directions once the chandelier met the ground with a crash, making Draco drop the wands in his hand to cover his face.

Once Draco could see again, he found that Potter, Weasley, Granger, the goblin and Dobby were all gathered near the head of the room, a bundle of wands in Potter's hand.

"Dobby!" Draco's mother screamed, her voice getting shrill. "You! _You_ dropped the chandelier-?"

"You dirty little monkey! You could have killed me!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Dobby never meant to kill- only to maim or seriously injure," Dobby smiled.

"How _dare_ you! How dare you defy your masters!"

"Dobby has no master!" he straightened, standing tall. "Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"

Draco watched as they Disapparated, a knife disappearing with them as they went, and somehow, Draco knew that Dobby didn't survive.

After that, the Dark Lord appeared and upon learning that Potter had escaped their clutches, punished them severely. Once the Dark Lord had finally finished with them, Draco's father wouldn't even look, let alone speak to Draco or his mother, but simple took a bottle of strong scotch and locked himself in his study.

It was when he and his family were called forth for the finally war and the taking of Hogwarts did Draco feel any hope. Draco immediately Apparated into Hogwarts, into the dungeons where he found Goyle and Blaise running off. He grabbed them and yanked them into a side corridor before forcing them to follow him.

Draco had a good idea where Potter was headed and he was planning on catching him and getting his wand back, and then if he had time take Potter to the Dark Lord and redeem his family.

"Well, well," And predictably enough, Potter was right where Draco thought he would be. "What brings you here, Potter?"

"I could ask you the same," Potter asked as he stepped forward.

"You have something of mine. I'd like it back," Draco hissed.

"What's wrong with the one you have?" Potter asked, pointing to the wand aimed at his face.

"It's my mother's," Draco answered. "It's powerful… but it's not the same. Doesn't quite understand me. Know what I mean?"

"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix?" Potter asked, making Draco stiffen, afraid by what he might say. "You knew it was me, You didn't say anything,"

"Come on, Draco," Goyle whispered into his ear. "Don't be a prat. Do it,"

"Easy," Draco bit out, not wanting Goyle to do anything stupid like kill Potter, now that would send his family into the furthest pits of dishonor.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

Suddenly Draco's wand jumped out of his hand and he took off, running behind Goyle and Blaise, before taking off, not wanting to get hit by a ill aimed spell or caught by the Golden Trio.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

"_Stupefy_!"

"That's my girlfriend, you numpties!"

And then Draco felt something hot at his back. Draco glanced back to see fire issuing from the tip of his wand. Fire roared around them, surrounding them and seeming to come alive and mold into creatures that wanted to swallow them up. They all kept backing up until they were completely cornered, fire in front of them, a pile of junk at their backs. Draco quickly spun around and started to climb up a pile of dressers, bookshelves, desks and grandfather clocks, Blaise and Goyle close behind.

Only when Draco heard a shout did he look back, and it was only to watch Goyle fall backwards and into the very flames they were all trying to escape. Draco and Blaise continued climbing until they reached the top, but to their horror, they realized that was it, there was no where else to go.

Draco saw Potter and friends whiz past them on brooms, and Draco felt a small amount of hate beneath his fear toward them. The table Draco and Blaise were standing on suddenly gave way and the fell, but they quickly grabbed a hold to the table edge before they could fall into the fire burning at their backs.

Draco could barely think through his fear, but the whole time, beneath the fear and the urge to live, Draco could see glimpses of Lucy, smiling at him, sticking her tongue out at him. Draco could stand the thought of not seeing her again, but he couldn't help but except it since he and Blaise were holding on for their dear lives as fire tried to eat them alive.

That was when Draco saw a glimmer of hope as he saw Potter and Weasley flying back towards them, Potters arm reaching down toward him. Draco reached up as well, only to miss. Draco quickly grabbed onto the table again before Potter made another pass, this time, successfully.

Draco held on for dear life as the two of them whizzed past piles of falling objects and flew over columns of angry fire. Draco could see the entrance when suddenly Potter lost control and sent them flying at the door, minus the broom. Draco hit the ground hard, but he quickly jumped up and started running, he didn't know where but he most definitely didn't want to be anywhere near that room again.

That's when Draco heard the sound of dueling coming down an adjoining corridor, heading toward him. He looked up as six people came into view, three Death Eaters, two redheaded men and a girl.

The girl Draco could swear he had seen before, but she was so dirty and different that Draco couldn't tell who she was. She fought gracefully, flicking her wand and ducking and sidestepping with grace before she shot a spell right into the Death Eater's face before she smiled in triumph.

Draco knew that smile. Lucy.

"Hello, Minister!" one shouted as the Minister's head dress fell off his head, and the redhead, who Draco assumed was Percy Weasley, shot a spell at him, dropping him to the ground. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" the other laughed, one of the twins Draco guessed. He continued to laugh even as he shot a spell right into the other Death Eater's face, knocking him back down the corridor. "You actually are joking, Perce… I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-"

Draco was about to run forward, danger gone, to see his Lucy.

"NO!"

But that was when the air exploded. A loud sound crack against Draco's ears as chunks of stone, splintered wood, the people around him and he himself went flying through the air. Draco could feel himself thrown up and into the air until he went hurtling backwards. He threw his arms out in front of him as a reflex and shouted as he felt the force and the sudden weightlessness until his back hit a wall and he crumbled to the ground, bits of debris landing on top of him. When Draco sat up he could see a huge whole in the corridor which now let the cold air from the outside breeze in.

"Is everyone all right?" Draco could hear Potter ask as he and Granger stood up, looking about.

"Think so," Draco could hear Weasley saying as Draco stood, looking about himself, trying to find where Lucy was. "Fred, Perce?"

"All right, Ron," Percy coughed.

"As can be expected," Draco heard Fred add. "Think I've broken something though. Don't really appreciate being exploded, but I probably wouldn't of survived without… Hang on, where's that Slytherin girl?"

Yes, Draco was still looking for her, and becoming more frantic with each second that went by when he couldn't find her. His eyes searched every pile of rubble for any sign of Lucy, her brown hair or anything that told him where she was.

"I'm fine!"

Draco spun around to see Lucy limping down the corridor, as if she were just entering the scene when she had actually been being thrown by the explosion. Her hair was much shorter than he remembered it last being, and she looked awful with the dirt and old blood that covered nearly every inch of her. But God she was probably the most beautiful thing that Draco had even seen in his life.

Draco ran over the pile of ruble to her, in the back of his mind surprised that he didn't twist his ankle accomplishing that feat. He practically slammed into her before she knew what was happening, and held onto her for dear life like he had been doing with the table in the Room of Requirement not a minute before this.

He could feel her stiffen against him before she suddenly let out a happy yip and hugged him back, holding onto him just as firmly. He pulled back and started kissing every inch of her dirty face that he could reach, so happy to see this girl that he almost couldn't comprehend what he was feeling, though he had an idea.

"You found me. You came back!" Lucy exclaimed as tears came to her eyes.

"I promised you, didn't I?" Draco laughed as he pulled back and looking into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Did you keep your promise to not do anything that you'd be ashamed to tell me while you were gone?" she asked smiling through her tears.

"As well as I could," he told her truthfully.

"Good," she whispered before kissing him, much harder than their previous two kisses, much more of a desperate sort of kiss that they both needed. It was only when they heard people clearing their throats behind them did the two look up.

"Is that really necessary?" Fred asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, yes it is," Lucy told him before pulling Draco back into another quick kiss that sent the group behind them gagging.

"Not as mature as you all thought, now are you?" Draco smiled as he pulled away from Lucy only to pull her tightly to his chest.

"Not when it comes to whatever animalistic thing that was," Ron Weasley said with a scrunched up face, gesturing to them.

That was when the sound of more dueling met their ears.

* * *

><p>Draco and Lucy ran through the familiar corridors, their feet pounding against the cold stone floor as they made their way to the Great Hall. They were running towards where most of the Death Eaters were bound to be, now that they had practically overrun the castle.<p>

As they came closer to the Great Hall, the screams, the crashes, the spells all came to a crescendo. It wasn't long before Draco could actually see the fights and watched as the stray curses flashed past him and Lucy. The battle raged between the Order, Harry Potter's DA, the professors, the students and Death Eaters, the Dementors, the werewolves, and the giants.

Draco didn't want either he or Lucy to fight in this battle, he wanted to stay hidden somewhere and wait for the dust to settle. But he knew that Lucy wouldn't stay with him, she would fight for what she believed in no matter what, and he'd stick next to her at all costs. Draco loved Lucy and they were a team and Draco planned for it to stay that way.

Draco and Lucy ran into the fray, trying to duck as spells flew past them until Death Eaters started attacking them specifically. A Death Eater approached Draco and shot a green spell past him… and there aren't many that were green. His heart jumped as he grabbed Lucy's arm and jumped her to the side before shooting a Stunner at the insect, dropping him to the ground with a thud.

That's when everything grew cold and silent.

"_You have fought valiantly… but in vain,"_

Draco could feel Lucy shudder next to him, and Draco couldn't help the urge to cover his ears, though he knew that it wouldn't block _him_ out.

_"I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. _

_"Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no grater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child that tries to conceal you from me,"_

It all grew silent again and the Death Eaters all began to leave in black wisps. Draco was torn then, he knew he had to stay with Lucy, it was as if his life depended on it. But on the other hand, his parents were out in the Forbidden Forest and were waiting for him.

But he wasn't going to return to them.

"Are you going to stay with me?"

Draco looked down at Lucy and smiled a true smile. "Forever,"

* * *

><p>The next morning, after a bit of fitful sleep, everyone was called outside by Longbottom. Draco, of course, followed Lucy outside until they stopped on the steps, looking out at the group of Death Eaters that had assembled at the entrance of the school, the Dark Lord leading them. Draco could see his parents near the front, his father looking awful as usually, and his mother searching the crowd for him.<p>

"Who's that Hagrid's carrying?" Draco could hear Ginny Weasley ask no one unparticular.

Draco looked to the center of the Death Eater's group to see Hagrid holding a body in his arms, and Draco had a good idea of who it was.

"Harry Potter is dead!"

"NO!" Ginny screamed along with nearly everyone in the group that was now pouring out of the castle.

"SILENCE!" the Dark Lord shouted, a loud boom resounding as a spell fell over all of them, silencing them. "Stupid girl," the Dark Lord bit out. "It's over! Harry Potter is dead. Lay him at my feet, Hagrid, where he belongs," Hagrid unwillingly moved, but in the end laid Potter's body at Voldemort's feet. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! He was never anything but a boy who allowed others to sacrifice themselves for him! From this day forth, you put your faith in _me_,"

No one moved.

"Harry Potter is dead!" the Dark Lord shouting, earning loud cackles and laughs from the group behind him. "And now is the time to declare yourself," he announced, but no one moved an inch. "Come forward and join us. Or die,"

Again, nothing.

"Draco," Draco looked up as his father beckoned him over to their side, having spotted him. But Draco didn't move. "Draco," his father called more desperately, but again Draco wouldn't move.

"Draco," Draco looked up at the sound of his mother's voice, so sweet to his ears. "Come,"

"Go," Draco looked down at his Lucy who stood at his side, not looking at him, surprised at what she had whispered to him. "They're your family. You shouldn't leave them for me,"

"But I can't leave you. You're more important," he whispered back, instantly feeling her hand tighten around his.

"So… you'll stay?" she asked, looking up at him.

Draco nodded. "Until we die,"

"DRACO!"

He winced at the disparity in his mother's voice, but he wouldn't leave Lucy, not again, not when deep down he knew that what the Dark Lord was doing was wrong. Even as Draco was going against what his parents had ever taught him, Draco wasn't going to move from Lucy's side, no matter how much it scared him, he wouldn't take the easy route. Draco looked up at his mother and just looked at her until she understood his choice.

"The son has broke from his family," Voldemort sighed. "How disappointed they must be, Draco, as I am. You have become a blood-traitor, joining the losing side as it is,"

Draco didn't say anything, since he couldn't, but he couldn't even keep eye contact with Voldemort, and quickly dropped his eyes to the ground. Lucy was there though, and stepped closer to him, squeezing his hand in assurance.

Then Voldemort made a sound or surprise. "Do you see, Lucius? He's doing this for a girl. How sweet," Voldemort laughed. "It will be interesting to see what side he chooses once she is dead,"

Draco flinched and wanted to kill Voldemort himself, but Lucy grabbed his arm with her other hand, keeping him back.

There was suddenly a flash of light, hitting someone who had run from the crowd, and for a second Draco's heart had stopped, thinking that the spell had been meant for his Lucy. But as he looked up, he saw Neville Longbottom on the ground, pushing himself back to his feet. Voldemort threw his wand aside, laughing.

"And who is this?" he hissed. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" Bellatrix laughed. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors I tortured, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," Voldemort smiled, making a shiver go done Draco's spine. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?"

Longbottom stood facing him, his fists curled into fists.

"So, what if I am?" Neville snapped loudly.

"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom,"

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Longbottom bit out. "It doesn't matter Harry's gone!"

"Stand down, Neville," Finnigan told him quickly.

"People die every day," Neville insisted. "Friends, family. We may have lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. So is Fred and Remus and Tonks. All of them. They didn't die in vain," Neville told them before turning back to Voldemort. "But you will because you're wrong. Harry's heart beat for all of us. And it's not over," A cheer, including one from Lucy, came from the crowd, his Silencing Charm having broken.

Voldemort stared at them all before he sighed. "Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it,"

Voldemort raised his wand and waved it and seconds later something black and ragged flew from one of the broken windows of the castle, landing in Voldemort's outstretched hand. He shook the mildewed object by its pointed end, revealing that the object was in fact the Sorting Hat.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," he said. "There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He pointed his wand at Longbottom, looking as if he was now frozen in place, his body stiff. Voldemort strode forwards and forced the Sorting Hat down on Longbottom's head. Draco feared what would happen next, as Voldemort turned away, walking back to where he had been. Lucy was practically shaking at his side, feeling poised and ready to do something that Draco knew that he would regret.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," he said as he turned back around. With a flick of his wand, the Sorting Hat burst into flames on Longbottoms head.

The silence between the opposing armies was broken by his screams. He was frozen to the spot surrounded in fire, unable to escape it.

Suddenly the ground shook as a giant appeared, and was soon overtaken by another, and than centaurs appeared from the Forbidden Forest, showering the Death Eaters in arrows, forcing the Death Eaters to break their ranks to avoid them.

It was then that Longbottom broke free of the Body-Bind Curse, the Sorting Hat falling from him and from its depths he drew a long silver sword, rubies glittering in the light in the hilt. Even Draco knew that that sword was the sword of Gryffindor. Amongst the disarray of the fleeing Death Eaters, Neville ran and with a slash of the blade, Neville sliced off the head of Voldemort's pet snake. It spun high into the air and its body fell to the ground, wrenching a scream from Voldemort's throat.

"Harry!" Hagrid shouted suddenly. "Harry- Where's Harry?"

Draco didn't care, Death Eater's were coming at them fast, and he was pulling Lucy with him into the Great Hall along with his fellow students as the readied for the battle that had just begun.

* * *

><p>The fight raged between good and evil, a fight with Draco and Lucy against everyone in the room that came at them. They protected each other, fighting back to back, and ducking as Death Eater's spells flew over their heads and hitting the Death Eater the other had been fighting. They fought together until a yell sent the room into silence.<p>

"_Protego!_"

A shield expanded in the middle of the Hall, protecting everyone in the Hall from Voldemort. Various shouts went around the entire Great Hall as Potter pulled off his invisibility cloak revealing himself to the world. He was alive and well.

The two foes circled each other, both had their wands drawn; their eyes focused only on each other. Everyone was silent as they watched the two and their final standoff, as they argued with each other, neither in any apparent hurry to finish the other. But that was all this was, them and their final encounter. No one else.

Nobody in the Hall moved but them.

Draco didn't know how long their banter went on, but it was hard no to listen to what they were speaking of, most of which he only half understood. It was when they started speaking of Dumbledore that Draco shrunk down, his ears picking up everything that was said, afraid of what would be said.

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!" Voldemort bit out.

"You thought you did, but you're wrong," Potter told him.

Everyone gathered in the room gasped.

"_Dumbledore is dead!_" Voldemort shouted angrily. "His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore's dead," Potter said, surprisingly calmly. "But you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant,"

Who was Potter talking about? Who had been on Dumbledore's side that Voldemort believed to be on his? It certainly hadn't been Draco at the time. But then Draco realized what Potter was talking about. Snape!

"What childish dream is this?" Voldemort asked, still not striking.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," Potter explained. "Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort did not answer. They continued to circle each other like wolves about to tear each other apart. Draco kept his arm around Lucy and his eyes on Potter, waiting and listening.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," Potter explained. "The same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized," Potter told him. "He asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," Voldemort sneered. "But when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him-"

"Of course he told you that," Potter interrupted. "But he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" Voldemort shrieked. "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape's supposed great _love_! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand! Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy- I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it. I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did," Potter put in with a small smile. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done… think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…"

Now Draco knew for a fact that Potter was a nutter. Voldemort try remorse? That was like asking a Basilisk not to petrify you. Voldemort too was shocked by Potter's statement, his pupils contracting and the skin around his eyes whitening.

"It's your one last chance," Potter told him. "It's all you've got left… I've seen what you'll be otherwise… be a man… try for some remorse …"

"You dare-" Voldemort began again, but Harry cut him off.

"Yes, I dare, because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle,"

Draco was utterly confused as he assumed many of the people in the room were, so he just watched the two, noticing that Voldemort's hand was trembling, the Elder Wand shaking. He was moments away from striking.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you, because you murdered the wrong person," Harry told him. "Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore,"

"He killed-"

"Aren't you listening? _Snape never beat Dumbledore_!" Potter exclaimed, and suddenly, Draco had a very bad feeling about this whole thing. "Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort's voice shook with malicious pleasure, seeming even more mad than any time Draco had ever seen him before. "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you?" Potter yelled. "Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? _The wand chooses the wizard_… the Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance…"

Draco froze.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy,"

Everyone close to him looked up and stared at him in shock, even Lucy, but Draco didn't take his eyes off the two in the center of the room. He knew there was more, after all, Potter had stolen his wand from him when he had come to his home, that had to count for something. Not to mention he need to keep his eye on Voldemort, who might no doubt go after Draco to try to gain power of the wand. Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly, blank shock showed in Voldemort's face for a moment, but then it was gone.

"But what does it matter?" Voldemort said softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: we duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…"

Draco winced, as did Lucy who held onto him tighter.

"But you're too late," Potter interrupted. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him," Potter smiled, showing the wand in his hand, which was indeed, Draco's old wand. "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" Potter whispered. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand,"

A red-gold glow burst suddenly across the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall, an edge of the dazzling sun appearing through the windows. It was morning.

Potter and Voldemort were illuminated in the center of the Hall, and all at once, the pair of them yelled a final spell.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

The bang was like a canon-blast and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead centre of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells had collided. The people nearest them all covered their faces, shielding themselves from the bright light.

A wand spun high into the air, spinning across the enchanted ceiling. A hand reached up and grabbed it.

Voldemort's body hit the floor, his red eyes rolling back into his head, while Potter stood victorious, two wands clasped in his hand, staring down at the enemy's shell.

* * *

><p>Draco stood in the Great Hall with his parents, feeling awkward standing amidst the cheer, even if he had joined these people at the last minute. It was all because of Lucy anyway, not for them. Draco didn't talk to his parents, his father was a broken man that didn't have a side anymore, and his mother probably felt betrayed by him, despite how protective she had become over him. Draco didn't necessarily want to talk to them anyway, he was looking for Lucy.<p>

He finally spotted her next to Potter and friends, smiling and congratulating them, giving them all hugs before punching one of the more beat up Weasley twins in the arms, making him wince. Draco left his parents and walked over to the group slightly awkwardly, keeping his eyes on Lucy.

She looked up at him and smiled brightly, pulling him the rest of the way to her as she listened to the group talking. Draco didn't really listen to what they were all talking about, he was just glad that Voldemort was gone and that he and Lucy were alive and well.

Only once did Draco look up at the room, spotting his parents still in their corner, and then spotting Potter across the circle at him, his own arm wrapped around Ginny Weasley. The two gave each other a cut nod before they turned back to there girls, the ones that they had been fighting for.

Draco smiled after twenty minutes of this torture and leant down and whispered into Lucy's ear. "Why don't we go someplace private? It's crowded in here," Lucy shivered against him before she looked up at him and smiled cleverly before taking his hand and running towards their common room, him in tow, hoots from the Gryffindors they had just left.

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy looked down at the girl next to him, lying against his side and smiled. Yes, he could smile, and not in the way he usually did, that awful sneer that people had become accustomed to. A real smile, one that one she could force out of him, only she could make him truly smile.<p>

Draco laid his head back down on his pillow and thought back over the past seven years, back to when he had first met her, to their first day at Hogwarts, that horribly boring school with all of those… no, she wouldn't want him thinking so cruelly… but he could still remember her, and honestly, she hadn't changed much, even from back then… except now they didn't hate each other, they didn't have a strained mutual respect for each other… now they loved each other.

Draco started to get up, though he wasn't looking forward to finding his parents later, when;

"No. Too comfy," Lucy suddenly protested, completely awake but sounding more like a five year old instead of a seventeen year old. Lucy snuggled closer to him and Draco sighed in slight annoyance before he smiled and tried to get up again. "No! Bad pillow!"

Draco sighed in defeat and settled down next to her again, pulling her close to him and kissing the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered to her, almost afraid to say it, but feeling that it was right. "And I need you,"

"I believe you," Lucy said softly, pulling away so that she could look him in the face, brushing some of his hair off of his forehead and out of his eyes. "I love you too,"

They took a few moments to digest the confession, just looking at each other before either of them spoke.

"Will you stay with me?"

"Forever,"

* * *

><p><span><strong>The End.<strong>


End file.
